Amr M. Ajlan, from King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Saudi Arabia, and colleagues describe the chest CT findings of thoracic radiologists in seven patients (five men and two women; median age 50 years) with MERS-CoV infection.

The researchers found that the most common CT finding in hospitalized patients with MERS-CoV infection is that of bilateral predominantly subpleural and basilar airspace opacities. There are more extensive ground-glass opacities than consolidation. An organizing pneumonia pattern is suggested by the subpleural and peribronchovascular predilection of the abnormalities.

"Recognizing this pattern in acutely ill patients living in or traveling from endemic areas may help in the early diagnosis of MERS-CoV infection," the authors write.